The invention relates to a mounting or toothed fitting for an opening roller having a plurality of teeth, each tooth having a tooth throat, a tooth face and a back as well as lateral profiles located between the back and the tooth face which approach one another to form a tip.
Basically two types of mountings are known which differ by how they are produced. In the case of one construction German Published Application (DE-) No. 34 39 664 (see also related commonly owned pending U.S. application Ser. No. 191,402, filed May 9, 1988 as a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 793,122, filed Oct. 30, 1985), the teeth are machined directly, particularly by means of grinding, into the circumference of the opening roller or into the circumference of a ring mounting or fitting fitted onto the opening roller. In the case of the other construction (U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,019), a so-called card wire is wound around the opening roller in a spiral shape. In both constructions, it is provided that the teeth, viewed against their travel direction, taper from the inside toward the tooth tip, i.e., the lateral profiles approach one another at a constant slope. As a result, relatively pointed teeth are created which can penetrate very well into the fiber material to be opened up by combing-out. Thus relatively slender teeth are obtained. However, teeth of this type are very soft and can be elastically and plastically bent relatively easily. After a bending, there will be the danger that the functioning may be impaired. In addition, an elastic bending often results in a chipping-off and detaching of the coating that is applied to the teeth and is less elastic. As a result the durability of the mounting is reduced significantly.
In the case of porcupine rollers for combing arrangements, i.e., in the case of a different type, it is known from German Published Unexamined Application (DE-OS) No. 20 24 357 to provide the circumference of one roller with recesses into which rows of needles are inserted. In this case, it is known to have the tooth-like projections taper with a rounding continuously from the tooth throat to the tooth tip.
Other commonly assigned patents and patent applications which relate to opening roller constructions include (i) pending U.S. application Ser. No. 196,688, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 088,973, filed Aug. 24, 1987, which is in turn a continuation of application Ser. No. 731,272, filed May 7, 1985; (ii) U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,389; and (iii) U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,777.
See also commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 237,760, filed Aug. 29, 1988, based on German Patent Application No. P 37 30 295.7, filed in Germany on Sept. 10, 1978.
An object of the invention is to provide a toothed fitting of the initially mentioned type in which the teeth have a higher stability without the disadvantages concerning their functioning.
This object is achieved according to preferred embodiments of the invention in that the lateral profiles are located in essentially radial surfaces, and in that at least one lateral profile has an end area that approaches the other lateral profile and is inclined toward the radial plane only at the radially outer tip area.
Thus, a tooth shape is created by means of which the teeth are provided with a larger thickness transversely to their travel direction, whereby they become more resistant to bending in this direction. The tip itself, in this case, is developed to be sufficiently pointed so that the penetration into the fiber material is not impaired.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the lateral profiles, up to at least approximately 2/3 of the radial height of the teeth, are developed as essentially radially aligned surfaces. Thus, relatively stable teeth can be created.
In a further development of preferred embodiments of the invention, it is provided that the angle between the lateral profiles in the area of the tooth tips is between 35.degree. and 50.degree.. As a result, tooth tips are created which are sufficiently sharp or pointed in order to easily dip into the fiber material.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.